title: Promotion of oxygen reduction by a bio-inspired tethered iron phthalocyanine carbon nanotube-based catalyst.
abstract: Electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction are a critical component that may dramatically enhance the performance of fuel cells and metal-air batteries, which may provide the power for future electric vehicles. Here we report a novel bio-inspired composite electrocatalyst, iron phthalocyanine with an axial ligand anchored on single-walled carbon nanotubes, demonstrating higher electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction than the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst as well as exceptional durability during cycling in alkaline media. Theoretical calculations suggest that the rehybridization of Fe 3d orbitals with the ligand orbitals coordinated from the axial direction results in a significant change in electronic and geometric structure, which greatly increases the rate of oxygen reduction reaction. Our results demonstrate a new strategy to rationally design inexpensive and durable electrochemical oxygen reduction catalysts for metal-air batteries and fuel cells.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary School of Green Energy, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689 798, Korea.
authors.forename: Ruiguo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Ranjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.forename: Hyejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gyu Kim
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Noejung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Meilin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jaephil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D007211:Indoles; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011725:Pyridines; C493990:iron phthalocyanine; D010984:Platinum; C023666:pyridine; D010100:Oxygen